Dreaming and Living
by EccentricSakuraGirl
Summary: Juvia dreams of a man she can't have. Years later, she falls for another man, a man she would love more than anything. And the man who would love her more than anything back. (AU oneshot Lyon/Juvia.)


**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.**

* * *

She dreams about him. All the time.

More frequently than she likes to admit. And it's the same dream every single time, only with a few tweaks here and there. It makes her heart break. She still dreams of him, anyway. It has become her own little piece of pure joy, and yet it has also become her own little torture.

It begins the same way each and every time.

They're in her room. Her old one, that is. The bright light of the morning is pouring in from the wide windows, making her white painted walls look like clouds. They're on her bed, the one with her baby blue colored sheets and her small teru teru bozu dolls. They are laying down, but they're not under the sheets and blankets, they're just laying there looking up at her wooden ceiling, their hands clasped together.

Gray's shirtless, like he always is, but for once she's not beet red and trying not to stare at his impressive physic. No, she's just there, looking at the ceiling and enjoying peace and the lovely presence that is him. She basks in it, and it's almost enough to make her forget that it's just a dream, that she won't wake up at any moment and be completely broken again.

Almost.

At this point, she turns to him, memorizing his face like if she doesn't she could very well forget it.

_Juvia loves you, _she says, her hand tightly gripping his.

He turns his head to her now, his charcoal hair rustling on the fabric of her pillow cases, his cold, icy blue eyes staring at her face. He looks stoic. Probably a little too much, but she doesn't worry about it. The important part is that he's here. And he's perfectly him.

_I love you, too, _he says back, and he smirking now, _you already know that, stupid._

And she smiles, because she does know that, and it makes her feel wonderful and fuzzy at the same time.

But then, just when it seems like the illusion is just barely beginning, the illusion starts to fade. And she feels herself opening her eyes now, the peace that she was so desperately trying to hold to, slipping away gently and painfully.

She wakes up. Her new room is cold and dark. She wants to go back to sleep.

As she hugs her pillow, tears welling up in her eyes, she thinks of the only thing that has been keeping her going since that cold day in december.

When she closes her eyes again tonight, she will see him, and that is enough.

_That has to be enough._

* * *

She has new sheets, now.

They're white, like snow. And she has a new comforter with a white background and tiny, colorful dots that make a floral pattern.

She throws away all her teru teru bozu dolls, and she gets a new bed with a forest canopy frame and white, sheer curtains hanging from the tops of the posts.

She buys it when she moves.

* * *

She starts dating other boys, now that her new friends have started pestering her about it. She jumps from date to date, not really into any of them, and they must know it too, because after the first night out they don't start asking for more.

Eventually, she finds a boy named Rogue. They meet at the internship that they both are apart of, and had only started talking to each other out of sheer boredom, between brakes when neither were working.

He's intriguing and handsome, and she supposes he's nice enough - she likes the way he holds her hand when they walk around the streets of Bosco city, and he kisses her goodnight like a gentleman.

Juvia decides that he's nice and he's smart, and if he's all those things, that he's good enough. But she gets the feeling that their relationship won't last, because it seems like the only thing he really cares about is work and making sure he gets ahead in his field, and she doesn't blame him. She thinks it's actually quite responsible and mature of him.

And, as it turns out, her first impression of how their relationship would end is right.

Six months after they start going out, he breaks up with her. And he says it's because he wants to focus more on his career.

And again, she doesn't blame him.

* * *

She still thinks about him. A lot less than before. She thinks she has Rogue to thank for that. His companionship eased her longing and pain, even if she never loved, or particularly liked him in more than a platonic way.

But she can't help but still occasionally think about Gray.

And that cold december day when everything ended.

They were outside, she recalls, sitting on a partially snow covered, park bench. It was freezing out, but Gray had always liked the cold, so she always delt with it.

She remembers that they weren't holding hands.

_Juvia leaves for that internship in Bosco next week..., _she remembers herself saying.

He hadn't responded, just kept staring out into the snow covered park.

_Juvia wants Gray to know that she loves him, that she loves him more than the world, _she remembers saying and she remembers that this is the part where she starts crying, _Juvia still wants to be with Gra-_

_So, this is the end of it then. _He had said back to her.

_The end of it?_

_This. _He had said to her, still looking away from her.

Juvia remembers the next word that had come out of his mouth very clearly. The word that made her unravel.

_Us._

* * *

Four years in Bosco, and Juvia is moving forward quite well with her life. She thinks she has matured quite well in all the time she's been there. She thrives in Bosco and she's proud of the woman she's become since she arrived in the wonderful country.

She dates on and off, but what really makes her happy, is when she receives a job at a big city company. She's in the sales department, barely above an intern, but she has a job and she gets paid. And so, she's happy.

She's shown around bye short, lean man with sharp facial features and a very serious expression. He has the biggest eyebrows Juvia has ever seen, and his hair is electric blue and it shoots out of his head in large jutting motions. She learns that his name is Yuka.

Yuka gives her perhaps the most thorough tour that she has ever experienced in her life. And she's greatful when he shows her the ropes, because otherwise, she probably would have a harder time learning them if he didn't.

As he walks along the office that is now considered her work environment from now on, he points out different people to her, introducing her to virtually everyone in her department. When they are done with the whole tour, they stop by the department kitchen, and once again, her guide introduces her.

There are three people in the room, and Juvia thinks that her and her tour guide must have missed them, because she knows that all of their characteristics are new and fresh in her mind.

One of them is a slim, pretty woman of average height and creamy white skin, with stunning, bright pink hair that rolls down her back in tight curls. She is beautiful, Juvia acknowledges that fact in the very beginning, as she tries not to stare at her lovely pink hair. She seems nice too, judging by the way she laughs with the coworker next her.

A rather tall man, with soft, messy brown hair and a rather messy dress shirt that is paired with a mustard stained neck tie, is laughing with the pretty pink haired lady. He's seems nice and cheery and he snorts cutely when he laughs, like a little kid, and Juvia finds it adorable.

The two seem to be in deep conversation, but there is a person next to them who is rummaging through the office cupboards, his back facing the kitchen door, probably looking for the instant coffee. Judging bye the back of the persons head and the back in general, Juvia identifies the person as a man.

"Juvia, I would like you to meet some very good friends of mine," Yuka says, smiling as the crease in his giant eyebrows lifts.

The pretty woman notices her first and smiles with her cherry lips, before the brown haired man notices her too and puts down his tea.

"Oh! Who is this Yuka~?" The lovely lady says, flipping a portion of her pretty hair over her shoulder, "Is she a newbie? Are you showing her around? Oh, that is an act of pure LOVE~!"

Juvia's cheeks heat at that, and soon her whole face is red.

L-Love? Yuka couldn't very well love her...?

"Don't worry Juvia," Yuka starts, rolling is eyes at the the pretty lady, "This is Sherry Blendy, and you'll soon come to know that she always talks like that. You'll get used to it."

"It's nice to meet you, Lovely," Sherry said, before Juvia could say anything, "As you know, I am Sherry Blendy~!"

"Yeah, and I'm Tobi," the bown haired man interjects, practically shoving his hand near Juvia's face, "Nice to meet ya, yeah?"

Juvia blinks, before shaking the hand in front of her firmly, smiling brightly at the man in front of her.

Yuka sighs at his coworker, before he nods.

"Yes, that's Tobi," he says, sighing again, "You learn to get used to his... eccentricities."

"Hey! Shut up, you massive eyebrows!" Tobi, yells, "I'm not eccentric!"

"J-Juvia doesn't think Tobi is eccentric," Juvia says, trying to ease Tobi's irritation, "Juvia thinks Tobi just has... character."

Yuka chuckles at this, before rolling his eyes and speaking again.

"And this, is Lyon Vastia," he says, looking towards the other corner of the room.

Juvia blinks owlishly and turns her head toward the person in the corner of the room, who is facing them now. Her first impression is right, because he is a man.

And he's handsome, Juvia notes in her head.

He has snow-silver hair that juts out, like Yuka's, but less high and less severe and with a spiky part juts down just near the top of his left eye. And he has handsome features, all good in their own right, but what really stands out to Juvia, is his eyes. They're dark and ebony, with long inky eyelashes framing them and making them stand out more.

And she can't help but think that they are incredibly beautiful.

The man with the eyes is dressed smartly, wearing a grey, work dress shirt, with the cuffs folded up to the elbows and paired with a smooth, mint-green necktie that hangs loosely around the collar. His hands are in his black pants pockets, as his obsidian eyes are regarding her curiously.

"H-Hello," Juvia speaks first, turning a light pink when he half smiles at her.

"Hello," the man smoothly answers back, tilting his head and smiling more.

Juvia, not really sure what to do, puts out her hand.

"Juvia Loxar," She says, and she hopes her voice doesn't waver, "Juvia is very glad to meet...?"

"Lyon," the man says, taking her hand and clasping it tight as he shakes it, "Lyon Vastia. It's very nice to meet you. And welcome to the department."

He grins this time, and he's still holding her hand.

* * *

Juvia comes to love her work. She loves getting up in the morning and knowing that she has to work from nine to five, as odd as it sounds. But she doesn't mind if people think of her as odd, because she's perfectly fine with the way that it is.

She has become great friends with the people in her department.

Her and Yuka often discuss things that they see in the newspaper, and Juvia quickly learns that he loves to debate about... well, everything, and she finds it rather endearing. Sometimes it is sort of exhausting trying to keep up with him, but it's still fun nonetheless.

And Tobi, he is probably the sweetest man she will ever come to know. He's cheery and always pumped, like a child who's eaten candy for breakfast. He reminds her of a little puppy who has a unlimited amount of energy and love for people, no matter who they are.

She and Sherry are the best of friends now, and talking with her makes Juvia feel like she's in high school again, talking with a fellow classmate in the halls. Sherry is beautiful and charismatic and so very quirky in the best way possible, and Juvia enjoys talking to her about things that she doesn't talk about with the boys. It's nice, because Juvia loves having a girlfriend.

And then there is Lyon.

Lyon is funny, sweet, a little mischievous when he wants to be, and, as much as he doesn't want to admit it, he is a bit dorky. Juvia finds that she like his personality, and maybe it's because it's unique, unlike anyone else, and it's wholly him.

They are good friends now, him and her, quite close actually. He jokes around and compliments her until her face bright red, and they talk, sometimes for what seems to be hours on end. He's clever, and he's honest with her - Juvia doesn't think he's ever lied to her since they've met. And She likes talking and walking and just spending time with him in general. Whenever he's around her she feels warm all over and she laughs more and... she's happy.

She's happy with her her job and her friends.

Happier than she has been in a long while.

* * *

Juvia spends more time with Lyon than with anyone else, now.

She doesn't know why. But she knows she's fine with it. She's more than fine when she's with him.

Sometimes they just sit in the company building's kitchen, him whispering cheesy jokes and compliments in her ear, with her laughing at the punchlines and blushing at the compliments. They talk for longest time, and when the lights go off upstairs and everyone from their work goes home, they're still in the kitchen, chattering away like two birds.

They talk on the phone at night, when the workday is done, and they both need to get to their abodes. When they don't have take home work, and sometimes even when they do, they talk hours into the night. And on rare days, sometimes the things they have deep conversations about aren't even important, like which manga is the best or tv shows are the least clever. They end up debating about it for long periods of time, before losing interest in the subject entirely and just fall asleep on the phone in their homes.

Lyon even gives her rides home when she needs it, and sometimes they don't go straight to her home. They drive. To where? Well, each time is a mystery for both of them. They leave the radio off and roll the windows down, singing to songs that they make in their heads, as they drive off to nowhere, feeling more freer than anything.

It's fun, chatting and singing and driving and being free with Lyon. And she loves it.

She simply loves just _being _with Lyon.

* * *

The year is nearing the end of december when she get it.

The wind is cold and blowing hard, almost enough to knock her knitted hat off of her head. Juvia shivers underneath her large, button up coat, and she mentally scolds herself, because she has had to buy warm boots all this month and still hasn't gotten around to doing it.

She enters her small, but livable apartment, shivering and pulling her hat down over her ears the whole walk up to the seventh floor that she lives on. As she opens her tiny, oak brown door, she picks up the mail lying on the ground, sorting through what she expects to be all bills and ads.

And that's when she sees it.

It's nestled between two restaurant ads, barely noticeable, but it catches her eye anyway. It sits innocently in a crisp, white envelope with small, simple handwriting on the front, written in dark blue ink, the color of the ocean.

She knows that handwriting anywhere.

Pulling the envelope out from under the ads, she lets the rest of her mail fall onto her ebony table, as she stares at the single piece she's got in her hands. After seeing the familiar address, she rips open the top and takes out the single piece of paper inside, ripping her hat off of her head and throwing it on her couch as she does so.

Her blue eyes widen, as she reads the short, but neatly written letter. Shock comes in waves as she continues, and after awhile she's too stunned to speak.

Because he's coming to Bosco.

Gray's coming to Bosco.

* * *

She goes to the airport, of course. It's the polite, nice, mature thing to do. Juvia wonders if she keeps telling herself that, if it will actually sound appealing at least in the slightest.

Not that seeing Gray was exactly 'unappealing', but it's rather shocking and nerve-racking and it seems she's about to go completely insane every moment she waits, watching all the other people from the plane come out and wave to their loved ones.

She's trying utmost best to be mature and calm, if not for her than at least for her friends, the ones who are living in Bosco, having moved out of her home town. She's trying. She really is.

And then, all of a sudden, she sees him.

He's walking out of the gate, raking a hand through his mussed hair, his eyes darting around the room in search of his friends.

His hair is longer than the last time she saw him, she notes, longer on the sides and the front is now long enough to cover his eyes completely if he wanted it to. His face is still sort of the same, still handsome, his features a little sharper, but mostly it's the same. He looks... older. Which really shouldn't be a surprise to her, because it has been five years since she last saw him.

Finally, he sees the people he's looking for, and for a moment, his eyes catch hers. And it's as if he's locked her in place, because she seems to be frozen with nervousness and fear.

What should she do? How could she say anything, talk about anything with him? It has been five years. _Five years. _That's how long they haven't seen, or even contacted each other. How were they supposed to go on now?_  
_

She faintly hears someone asking her if she's okay, but she can barely register their sentence, because he's walking toward them now. And he's glancing at her, with a look that is utterly unreadable to her.

He hugs people, laughing as he talks to them, catching up with some of their childhood friends. He is smiling when he looks at her again, a soft, sort of broken smile, but at least he's smiling.

He speaks with her last, awkward and slow at first, but soon he gets his bearings and it's smoothly and light, as if he had just seen her yesterday. He's closer now, and Juvia can see that he has on his silver cross necklace - she's surprised he still wears it, even after all this time. She didn't think he would keep her gift.

They talk for awhile, her only slightly stuttering and him relaxed in talking, but shifting his body every few seconds.

She's surprised when he hugs her, because he's always been so aloof and cold, but it's nice... and it doesn't feel awkward at all, even with everything that's happened.

* * *

They go out for coffee.

Juvia shows Gray around for awhile, and it's odd because every one of their shared friends say that they are too busy to show him around themselves, even if Gray has never seen Bosco. In fact, it turns out that in all this time, he's never left Fiore; which she finds slightly shocking, considering how he always said that he couldn't wait to be anywhere _but _there.

Juvia takes him to all of her favorite shops, and they gaze through windows and eat ice-cream from a stand owned my a local vendor, talking and idly walking the whole day. To her surprise, they have a genuinely nice time. She's forgotten how nice it was to be out and about with him.

They're halfway down her favorite street in Bosco City, when she hears voices calling her name from behind them. She whips around immediately, a huge grin on her face, because she knows those voices, and she's very glad to hear them. Almost instantly, her eyes light up, seeing Sherry, Yuka, Tobi, and Lyon standing casually beside a cafe.

Sherry is waves enthusiastically, shouting something un-hearable about love. Tobi is jumping up and down like a happy dog, grinning from ear to ear as he calls out to her. Yuka is standing with his fingers pinching his for head and he is, of course, rolling his eyes at the more exuberant two in the group.

Lyon is standing at the far left of the three, his hand stuffed in the pockets of his blue jeans. He grins at her briefly, tilting his head towards Gray, studying him curiously, his grin fading, before his eyes flick back to Juvia.

Juvia pulls Gray's sleeve, motioning to her friends and beckoning him to come with her. Eventually he gives in, rolling his eyes while he walks with her over to them.

She introduces them all, smiling the whole time, while Gray shakes all of their hands individually. He's polite, and he answers all of her coworkers' questions about him with relative calm and aloofness, like he does with most people he first meets. Juvia's glad he's at least not that cold to them.

Sherry, of course, immediately starts chatting to him about his relationship with Juvia. She's grinning at bluenette behind his back as she does so, wiggling her eyebrows and obviously trying her best not to let out a girly giggle.

Yuka asks him about what he does, in a polite, cool tone. Juvia can tell Gray's staring at his eyebrows, well, not trying to stare, but failing miserably. She can also tell that Yuka doesn't seem to have a clue about the staring at all, because he just goes on with their conversation normally.

Tobi, being the sweet, hyperactive boy he is, asks Gray loads of questions at rapid speed, his mouth going a mile a minute. And when Gray looks at him confusedly, Tobi thinks he can clear everything up by talking faster. Ah, the logic of Tobi.

Juvia's glad that most of her friends get along with him fine, but something was very wrong in this picture. And she knows what it is.

Lyon and Gray obviously aren't fond of each other.

Maybe it was the fact that Lyon hasn't said a word to the other man other than hello since the group had been talking, opting to just stare at his feet instead, and looks rather irritated than his usual cheery self. Or maybe the fact that whenever the two men meet stares, Gray gives him a glare that was icy enough to freeze water. Or maybe it was the aura surrounding both of them, cold, and unpleasant to each other.

Juvia's surprised she's the only one who notices it.

When she and her companion for the day decide to leave, she beams and shouts farewell when they reach the end of the street, as the man beside her waves halfheartedly. They all wave back to her, all except Lyon.

She frowns, irritated and even more hurt, and she wonders why he's acting so strange. Then, as if he feels her discomfort, he turns and he smiles at her with his hand stuffed in his jacket pockets.

It's a small, sort of sad smile. Broken. Like he was bearing through something painful.

It makes her heart ache.

* * *

"I don't really like the look of that Lyon guy," he says to her, as they walk down the hall of his hotel.

"What 'look' of Lyon does Gray not like?" Juvia asks, raising a confused eyebrow, "What about Lyon has the 'look' Gray is referring to?"

Gray gives her a small smile as he walks, chuckling a bit.

"Come on, you know what I mean," he says, running his fingers in his hair.

"No," Juvia giggles, "Juvia really doesn't."

"I just don't like the look of him."

"That still makes no sense if Gray can't describe it," she says teasingly.

"Shut up," he says, and he's grinning now, "I know you know what I mean."

She stops, putting her fingers underneath her chin, as if contemplating something.

"Juvia guesses she does, but that still doesn't make it make sense in factual way. And Juvia needs to remind Gray that he doesn't know Lyon well enough to judge him."

He offers no response, instead just rolling his eyes as he walks up to his room door.

"Well," he says, smiling briefly, "Thanks for today. It was... fun."

"Yes, Juvia thinks it was very fun," she replies, nodding, "And... it wasn't as awkward as she thought it would be. She's glad for that."

He tilts his head at her, smiling again and stuffing his hands into the pocket of his long, black coat.

"Yeah, it wasn't. I'm glad for that too," he says, looking down at her, "Maybe it's because we've already been at the awkward stage or something like that. I'm glad we're finally over it."

Juvia nods.

"Yes," she says, smiling up at him, "Oh! Juvia should let Gray sleep-"

"Wait," he says, cutting her off and putting his hand out, "Do you, um, want to come in and have some tea or something? I, uh, I know you like tea so..."

Juvia opens her mouth to respond, but ends up closing it, scratching the back of her head sheepishly.

Her companion frowns back.

"I get it if you don't want to come in... I just, you know, like talking to you. But I get it if you don't want to. You've probably gotten tired of me already-"

"No Juvia isn't tired of Gray, in fact Juvia would really love to talk to Gray, but it's getting late..." She responds, trailing off as she looks at her watch.

"Well... then, can I see you tomorrow?" Gray asks her, and for once his eyes seem almost... hopeful.

Juvia smiles as she nods, confirming.

"Juvia would like that very much. It has been too long, and after all, Gray still hasn't seen all of the city," she says brightly.

The said male smiles back at her, before leaning down.

"Thank you," he whispers quietly in her ear, almost to low to hear, "Really."

Juvia's slightly surprised with how soft and earnest his voice is. And how all of a sudden he's close.

She makes a squeak when he shifts, but when he pulls away from her ear, she lets out a silent breath of... relief? He looks at her again, with those iceberg, blue eyes that she always used to get lost in, the eyes of someone who felt very far away from her more than anything else.

It takes her a moment to notice he's leaning in now, and those eyes are getting closer. He's inching his way to her face, angling his own as their noses brush.

Her breath is squeezed out of her chest. All of a sudden she has the feeling of a slow seeping cold washing over her, and she's slowly starting to panic.

A picture of obsidian eyes, sparkling in the daylight reaches her mind, along with ever present smile of the person who bears them.

She pulls away, just as Gray is about to brush his lips over hers.

"No." She hears herself say, but it sound hazy and far away.

_No._

"Juvia's sorry," she says, more clearly this time, "Juvia can't."

Gray looks at her, his face contorted in confusion and slight hurt.

And she really is sorry.

"I-... Why can't you?"

"Because..."

She sees those ebony eyes make their way into her mind again, and she feels warmth spreading through her being.

"Because Juvia doesn't... she doesn't love you anymore."

He looks at her, his face is blank, except for the hurt in his eyes.

"Juvia's sorry," she says, and tears prick her eyes, "Juvia's so sorry, Gray. But Juvia just... Juvia doesn't feel the same way she felt back when she was seventeen. Juvia's not the same person as she was... and Gray isn't either. They've both changed. Juvia she- she can't love Gray any more, and even if she wanted to... She's not sure she could."

She's running her fingers through her hair now, openly crying.

"That part of Juvia's life has closed. She's done trying to get it back," Juvia says, not looking at him, "And she's... She's happy. Right now, with everything, Juvia feels happy with everyone in her life and..." She pauses, looking at him now, trying not to go straight out bawling. "And she's just sorry. She's sorry for everything."

Gray looks at her, his expression unreadable and stony.

He laughs, bitter, and when he looks at her again, his eyes are a clash of emotions. There's anger there, and sadness and hurt and mild understanding.

"I'm too late," he states, rather than questions.

Her eyes revert down to the floor. He's still looking at her.

"You know, I should've expected this," he says to her, a slight hint of a sad smile in his voice, "I didn't expect you to wait for me, but I should've expected that there was a chance that I could never get you back, after I ended things."

Juvia looks at him now, a watery smile of her own coming onto her face.

"Two years ago and Gray would have."

His eyes flick to her, surprised and wide.

"You mean, you didn't get over me for three whole years?" He asks, shocked.

"Gray was Juvia's first love. And Juvia was sure he was going to be her last, until he ended things," she shrugs, "It takes awhile to get over something like that."

"But damn, three years," he says, kicking her leg playfully.

She kicks him back, watery smile still in place.

"What can Juvia say? Only about a year before Juvia started at her current job did she really truly get over Gray."

"But shit. Three years."

That makes Juvia laugh, as she kicks his leg again. He smiles back, this time genuine and warm.

Juvia doesn't know what he's thinking, but she gets the feeling that they're okay.

* * *

The day she turns twenty two is big day for her.

They throw a party, all of her devoted friends who think she needs a party. And damn, they say when they plan it, they need a party too!

The location is, of course, a bar. With Karaoke. But it's a nice bar, with comfortable booths and nice, latern-like, dim lights, and the karaoke is up on a small stage in the far left wall, set up with a 60's style microphone on a stand.

And needless to say, the drinks are supposed to be well worth the bad singing of the guests.

Juvia sits at the bar counter, on a peeling leather stool that is surprisingly comfortable. The party is bustling around her, as her friends sing different, off tune, horribly done songs with great enthusiasm. The place is packed with people, everyone laughing, singing along with the current performers, drinking bountifully, and generally having a good time.

It is a success.

Juvia taps at her water glass, eyes flicking from person to person in the room. Soon, her eyes catch on a figure of familiarity, and they stop as she smiles.

Gray smiles back, waving from where he's talking with a pretty brunette lady.

"Juvia!" She hears someone shout from her left, their voice slightly high and slurred.

She turns her head and looks at the source of the voice, which turns out to be a cheerful looking and very, _very _drunk Lyon.

He looks slightly untidy, but for some reason the untidiness makes him look even more dashing and gruff. He walks tall and wobbly, swaying on his feet, his silver hair mussed, right along with his clothes. His face is bright with a wide, cheshire cat grin painted on it, and his cheeks are flushed, tinted a pretty pink, confirming that there very much is alcohol his system.

He slumps himself in the bar stool next to her, giggling when he looks at her.

"Heey, stranger," he says, lifting his arm and lightly tapping her nose with his index finger, "How you doooin'?"

Juvia looks him and has to hold back a laugh, because he is piss-poor drunk.

"Exactly how much has Lyon had to drink tonight?" She asks, his cracking a questioning smile.

"Oh not that much... but I lost track after the, erm, the uh, the so-omething-thy one... I think," is the slurred, giggly reply.

And Juvia can't help herself. She laughs.

"Okay well, Juvia thinks Lyon should be cut of-"

"What is this, Juvia?!" He suddenly exclaims, pointing at her glass of water in her hands.

"Erm. Water...?" She says, giggling from the utter _shock _in his tone.

"I am _shocked_! Come on, Juvia, this is your birthday party! You're twenty two, twenty-fricken-two! And I say you need a _real _drink," he says, using very expressive hand motions as he tries to flag down the man behind the bar. "Excuse me, Bartender-maan, but the b-day girl needs a drink!"

"Lyon, Juvia's fine with her water. She doesn't drink," she says, once again laughing at the look on the man's face.

It's true, she doesn't drink. She's always heard of how alcohol made you do stupid things, and as it turns out, after trying it a few years ago, she decided it wasn't really for her anyway. She hasn't even had one alcoholic beverage since the party began. Besides, if she did drink, she knows that Sherry would just use her buzzed behavior to get her to sing onstage.

"Juvia thinks that Lyon has had enough," she says, before noticing that the silver haired man isn't even paying attention anymore.

He's looking behind her now, his eyes focusing on something he clearly doesn't like, judging from the scowl on his flushed face.

Juvia tilts her head, turning around and following his eyes to the thing that he's staring at. It doesn't take her long to find it, and she cringes when her eyes land on the familiar face she had glanced at moments before.

"Gray," Lyon spits the man's name out like it's venom. "I didn't know he was here."

"Well, yes, Juvia invited him-"

"You know, I heard something interesting," he interrupts her, his pupils looking into her's, "I wonder if it's true. If it's true about liiittle Juvia..."

Juvia raises an eyebrow, confused to say the least.

"Is it true, Juvia?" he asks, leaning over and whispering in her softly in her ear, voice low and uneven.

Her eyes widen at his closeness, as he continues.

"Is it true that you dream about him?"

Juvia's eyes widen more, and she pulls herself away from him, eyeing him with surprise.

"Who told Lyon that?" She says, almost as quietly as he had.

Lyon looks at her for a moment, laughing. But then, as if a switch was flicked, his eyes turn stony and the laughing stops completely, and the scowl is back.

"A little birdie."

Juvia stares at his demeanor, stunned that he's being so serious. Angry.

"Juvia has only told Sherry that. Sherry... Sherry told you," she says, eyes lowering in recognition.

"Bingo was his name oh," Lyon says, gritting his teeth.

"Juvia doesn't understand. Why did Sherry tell Lyon..."

And she wonders if Sherry happened to mention that the last dream Juvia had of her ex boyfriend was over two years ago...

"Lyon doesn't understand. Why the hell didn't you tell me? We talk almost every day how the hell didn't you tell me? And more importantly," The man beside her says, his hands gripping the counter in anger now, "Why the hell have you been dreaming about that prick?!"

Juvia cringes again, looking around the room and hoping no one heard Lyon's loud yelling. Scowling, she quickly takes his hand and drags him into a door next to the bar counter.

"Hey!"

She ignores him, shutting them inside the new room, locking it's lock, and proceeding to turn on the lights. When the lights are turned on, she realizes that they're now in the bar's storage closet. It's a small, musty room, filled with wine bottles and dusty crates.

Juvia sighs, running her fingers through her blue hair as she does.

"Lyon definitely has had enough to drink," she says.

"Why did you draag me in here?" the drunk man says, swaying on his feet a little, as he motions to the storage room around them.

"Lyon was being too loud. Clearly, Juvia had to move the conversation because of it."

"Oh come oon, don't try to change the subject and put the blame on me," the said male scowls at her. "I asked you a question, and you still haven't answered me."

Juvia stutters, not really sure what to say.

"Juvia hasn't dreamt of Gray in a very, _very _long time. J-Juvia didn't tell Lyon because she didn't think Lyon had to know," she finally gets out, frowning.

He looks at her intensely, and she stares back, because she's surprised that he so serious so... angry at this moment. He is clearly drunk, but his eyes are clear and filled with anger and, surprisingly, hurt.

"You didn't think that I needed to know," He laughs then, and it's bitter and mocking. "You didn't think I needed to know?! So what if you haven't dreamt of him lately. The point is you _did _dream of him, and I don't know whether or not to show my anger about it, because I don't know what you think we are! Let me ask you something, Juvia. What exactly am I to you!?"

Juvia is thrown off balance by that question, her eyes widening and her heart pounding in her ears.

Because she isn't sure. She hasn't been for a long while, now. And she doesn't know, despite everything.

What is he to her? She doesn't know... He is... He is...

"What the hell am I in this?! I'm so confused, that I can't think straight! That's what you do to me, Juvia!"

He is her best friend. Her comforting, ever present shoulder.

"Why can't you even see what you do to me?! I can't even freakin' explain how I feel when you're around!"

He is her source of fun, when they're talking, joking, and laughing everywhere know to them. Her source of freedom, when they're feeling alive, with the world whirling past and the wind in their hair.

"I don't know how someone could think they shouldn't tell me things! Especially you!"

He's her light, like the way he smiles every day. He's also her calming dark, like his eyes when they look at her every time they're close.

"I need you to tell me things! And Why the hell that prick, anyway?!"

He's the sun, and the moon, and the oxygen running through her body. And she needs him more than anything else. She needs him.

Because he is her everything.

"I can't do this anymore! I can't-"

She cuts him firmly off, pressing her soft, pink lips to his.

And that sure as hell stops his rant.

He makes a noise of shock in his throat that is so cute that she almost forgets that she needs to breath. She breaks away, slowly, her heart fading when she does.

Lyon stands there, shocked and blinking like a nearsighted person who just had their glasses taken away from them. He makes random movements with his hands, opening and closing his mouth, seemingly searching for something to say.

Juvia just stays rooted to the spot, blushing and glancing up at him every few seconds.

"Why did you just do that," he finally manages, clearing his throat as he looks at her.

"Juvia wants to tell Lyon her reasoning when there is a chance he would actually _remember _it. What with all the alcohol he has consumed," she replies, blushing further as he searches her eyes.

He stands there for awhile, looking at her with those eyes of his, before leaning in and initiating another kiss, shocking her to a maximum extent.

He kisses her slowly, as if trying the draw out her reaction, before he pulls away from her.

"Well then. Lyon guesses he better go sober up," he says.

And suddenly he's gone, leaving her blushing in the storage room, as he shuts the door firmly behind him.

* * *

She meets him by surprise when the party is done, outside in the bar parking-lot.

She can tell he's sober now, from the way he's standing near a car, not swaying in the slightest.

She walks towards him, cautiously, and he watches her, just as cautious. She's about to say something, when he wordlessly hands her a box. A present.

Inside is a small, leather-bound book. She knows it instantly as her favorite book of poems and short stories, and she notices that's it's the rare edition version. When she sees her name sewn into the leather in the back, her eyes mist with happy tears, and she glances up at the man who gave it to her.

He smiles, and before she knows it, he's walking away from her.

She doesn't stop him, just watches him go, because she knows owes him time to think, and she's okay with letting him think without her. She turns back to her book, now noticing something tucked into one of the pages. Pulling it out, she sees that it is a small scrap piece of paper, with neat hand writing written in dark green ink.

_Remember, we still need to talk, you lovely miss. And don't worry about me forgetting about it, because I'll be stone cold sober. And please tell me you'll kiss me again. It was glorious. And I'd be damned if I ever forget that._

She smiles.

* * *

It's spring and they are in love, that much she is extremely sure of.

They're sitting under a fully blooming cherry blossom tree, with their hands intwined together, laughing and talking. Her handsome fiancé tells her cheesy jokes and he makes her laugh and he kisses her with his mint flavored lips.

And Juvia knows that she loves Lyon, and that Lyon loves her.

She knows that she'll be dreaming of only him from now on and until forever. And what makes her even more happy is that she'll be living her life with him forever too. And living is so much better than dreaming, because it's the real thing.

And so, she kisses her love back, breathing in spearmint and sakura blossoms, willing to follow wherever the path of life takes them, as long as they're together. He kisses her again and they fall on the grass, giggling like school children.

They stay like that, being with each other under the sakura tree, their love in full bloom, like the fresh, new spring.

* * *

**Alright! It's done! **

**I loved writing this oneshot, what with Gray, Lyon and Juvia drama, _and _the romance of Juvia and Lyon wrapped into one. I also thought that silly, drunk Lyon would be nice to throw in there, before he gets all angry, upset, drunk Lyon. **

**Let me know what you think about anything in the story in the review box, and thanks for reading!**


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